By: Adedokun Seyi
On Tuesday, 25 June, 2019, the University of Ibadan Vice Chancellor, Professor Olayinka inaugurated governing board members for the Yoruba Language Centre which has existed for years.
Members of the Board include the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), The Registrar, The Bursar, Librarian, Deans of Faculties of Arts, Education, the Social Science and Director of Information Technologies and Management Service (IteMS), Directors of Institute of African Studies, Student Affairs, Works and Maintenance, Office of International Programme and Public Communication as well as Heads of Department, Linguistics and African Languages and Department of Teacher Education.
The Centre was created, according to his media aide, Mr. Sunday Saanu, “to make yoruba language more functional, efficient and popular”.
It was established with the “view to teaching Yoruba as Foreign/Second language to foreigners and Nigerians interested in learning Yoruba. Scholars from America and other countries of the world had in the past come to learn the language with some Yoruba speaking families hosting them for language acculturation”.
Drawn from fitting departments and centres, the members were admonished
by the Vice Chancellor to work together in order to make the language centre more functional, efficient and popular, saying board should look into the possibility of putting up “more programmes that will benefit those who are interested in learning the language and the Yoruba culture.
He further said “Some young ones who are not so sure footed in the use of Yoruba language can also come to learn from the Centre. Those who have just finished Secondary School but are not proficient in Yoruba language should also be able to come to the Centre for more knowledge”.
Prof. Oye Taiwo who is the Centre’s Director had told the gathering that the Centre had initiated several programmes that were intended to make Yoruba language more popular than ever before.
